Consumers watching more video via mobile device

The past few years have seen a huge increase in consumers watching video via smartphone, according to a new study by Ericsson which reveals the extent to which consumers are changing their viewing habits.

The communication technology specialist questioned more than 22,500 people in 20 countries around the world for its annual ConsumerLab TV & Media Report, revealing a 71% increase in watching video on smartphones since 2012. Today, 61% of consumers watch video on their smartphone.

According to Ericsson, the average time spent watching video on mobile devices, including tablets, laptops and smartphones, is up three hours a week compared to 2012.

Young people are especially likely to watch video and television via mobile device: this accounts for nearly two thirds of teenagers’ total TV and video viewing time.

Overall, 35% of all TV and video viewing is now spent watching on-demand and over half of consumers said that they watch streamed on-demand content at least once a day, up from 30% in 2010.

Consumers are also viewing more user-generated content (UGC), with almost one in 10 spending more than three hours per day watching YouTube.

Anders Erlandsson, senior advisor at Ericsson ConsumerLab, said: “The continued rise of streamed video on demand and UGC services reflects the importance of three specific factors to today’s viewers: great content, flexibility, and a high-quality overall experience. Innovative business models that support these three areas are now crucial to creating TV and video offerings that are both relevant and attractive.”